January 2021

"Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging."
- Joseph Campbell

Did you know that illness is the first obstacle in the practice of yoga according to the yoga sutras? Yoga is a journey inward through body, breath, mind, inner wisdom and joy. Even though asana (physical practice) is what most people think of as yoga, it is so much more! Asana allows us to journey inward toward joy and bliss. In fact, the ancient yogis practiced asana so they could sit and meditate for hours! Meditation was the ultimate goal….to reach the quiet center of our being.

So how do we practice if illness is the greatest obstacle? The sutras ask us to take action and do everything we can to take care of our bodies. This can be very difficult because taking action when we may be at our worst, requires great inner will and determination. It may also feel like going to the doctor is a full-time job! At this point we may experience apathy– the second obstacle. Apathy can set in when we realize that maybe this particular injury or illness is not going away any time soon.

If we give in to the dullness of apathy we likely will stop our practice, even though we know it may be the way out. There is paralysis and lack of self confidence that sets in and it becomes increasingly hard to make decisions. This might be the time that anxiety and depression become part of the broader picture.
If we continue along this road, the other obstacles set in: Inability to focus attention, exhaustion, sensory overload, and finally a distorted view of the world.
Breaking through obstacles is not easy! And here is what is so interesting and wonderful….all of the people I work with who suffer from chronic pain or illness, have realized that consistent practice over a long period of time brings clarity at all levels of their being! They have learned how yoga therapy can help break through the obstacles, and help them find more clarity in their direction toward wellness.

This does not mean the pain or illness is gone, but they have found a way to calm the nervous system, move mindfully to help ease the pain without injury, and tap in to their inner joy. They have learned to be with their suffering but not let it define them. They may even discover the need for surgery or additional medical treatment. Their practice changes as they change. They feel support from others in the class who share their suffering. Slowly they find faith where there is doubt, and find courage where there is fear.

Yoga Therapy offers a transformational journey with chronic pain and illness. It certainly was transformational for me, and the reason I decided to become a Yoga Therapist! It took years of practice and training with a Yoga Therapist, along with the support of many excellent health care professionals. That doesn’t mean that I no longer have chronic pain, but I manage it well, and implement the tools of yoga on and off the mat. There are times that I forget, and that is okay. Over time I have become much more resilient and know I have a very full tool box of practices and resources to access as needed.

Because we are asked to go inward with our practice, yoga therapy allows us to assess how our body feels using carefully sequenced practices, mindfulness, breath and deep self-awareness. We learn to manage our pain from the inside out. We learn to live our best life using the tools and teachings of yoga. Yes, we have bumps along the way, but the more we practice the more tools we have to get back on the path toward wellness and joy.

The pandemic has been particularly hard on the vulnerable and the elderly. And yet the first people to contact me at the beginning of the pandemic were my students and clients asking for virtual yoga sessions. They knew they had to practice so they could manage their stress, which in turn helps manage pain. There was such a sweet connection on zoom when there was so much uncertainty. The support and care of others was an integral part of the practice.

There has been so much suffering and loss this last year. We all suffer as the ancient yogis tell us. It is what we do with the suffering that matters. We will fall and pick ourselves up again and again. We have choice to break through our obstacles, or be stuck in limbo. This is not an easy road, but I have seen over and over again the healing, depth, compassion and kindness that comes from those who have suffered greatly. They may still be managing their condition, but they have learned the way inward. They have learned to see the light in themselves and others.
Namaste.The light in me sees the light in you.

“For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

The Hill We Climb – Amanda Gorman
January, 2021 Presidential Inaugaration